Engine-starter gearing



July 29, 1924. 1,502,671

M. L. HILLMER ET AL.

ENGINE STARTER GEARING Filed June 28, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet, 1

ggz rgnZurs July 29, 1924. 1,502,671

M. 1.. HILLMER ET AL ENGINE STARTER GEARING Filed June 28. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' [1622755555 fizz/E 70]"5 Patented duty 29, I924.

REMY ELECTRIC INDIANA.

MAX L.;1VIER AND LESLIE O. PARKER, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO COMPANY, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF ENGINE-STARTER GEARING.

Application filed .Tune 28, 1921. Serial at. 481,142.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MAX I. HILLMER and LESLIE O. PARKER, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Anderson, county of Madison, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Starter Gearing, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to automatic gearing especially adapted for use with electric motors for starting internal combustion engines. It is generally well known that by means of such gearing when the motor is connected with a current source to crank the engine, the motor is automatically connected with the engine by virtue of the motion of the motor; and-that when the engine becomes self operative the motor is automatically disconnected from the engine.

I Such automatic gearing usually includes a gear connected with the motor which is moved either endwise or laterally into enga ement with the engine flywheel gear.

ne oblject of the present invention is to improve automatic gearing of the type wherein a gear geared to and supported by the motor shaft is moved laterally into engagement with the engine gear.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferredembodiment of the present invention is clearly shown. i

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of gearing embody-mg the present invention;

Fig.2 is a top view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof showing the gearing, disconnected from the engine;

Fig. 4-is a view similarto Fig. 3 showin the gearing connected to the engine; an

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the 1ine.55 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 20 designates a fragment ofa motor having an end frame 21 supporting motor shaft 22 carrying motor pinion 23 which meshes with idle gear 24 adapted to mesh with engine'flywheel gear 25 -(a fragment bein shown). Shaft 22 supports a bracket or yo e 26 having arms 27 provided with elongated holes 28through which idle gear shaft 29 pro- .if no interference had occurred.

Washer 34 bears against a shoulder formed by reducing the end of shaft 22 said reduced end being threaded at 35 to receive nut 36 which secures the yoke 26 upon shaft A lug 37 extending from end frame 21 slidably supports a sleeve38 having a flange 39 at one end. The opposite edge of sleeve 38 is cut and bent to jecting stops 40 and inwardly projecting stops, one being shown at 41. A buffer.

spring 42 is interposed between the lug 37 and the flange 39 of sleeve'38, and a fiat surface 43 is provided on yoke 26' to strike against flange 39. between the bottom of hole 45 in yoke 26 and the stops 41 of sleeve 38.

Normally the gearing is in the position form outwardly pro.

A spring 44 is interposed shown in Fig. 3, the motor being at rest. To

crank the engine current is supplied to the motor, and shaft 22 begins to turn, thereby rocking the yoke 26 into the position shown in'Fig. 4 before the inertia of rotation of gear 24 is entirely overcome and this .gear begins to rotate; A dished spring washer 30 may be used to increase 'the friction between the yoke 26 andthe motorpinion 23. I The effect of this spring will be added to the inertia efiect' referred to. As the yoke 26 swin s counterclockwise, taking up the motion 0 shaft 22, the gear24willcenter itself with respect to the centers of pinion 23 and gear 25. As a tooth of gear 24 rolls into a tooth space of gear 25, an opposite tooth of gear 24 will roll farther into mesh with pinion 23. In case a tooth of gear 24 faces with a tooth of gear 25, this pressure is partially relieved by thesliding of gear 24 toward pinion 22, therebypermitting the facing tooth of gear 24 to slide off the face of a tooth of gear 25 and then permitting this tooth to roll into mesh with The swinging of yoke 26isyieldingly limited by bufi'er spring 42 as the surface 43 of yoke 26 strikes against flange 39 of sleeve 38. As shown in Big 4, spring 44 is compressed to occupy the space in sleeve 38 and m yoke 26.

gear 25 as p When the engine becomes self operative and the linear speed of flywheel gear 24 tends to exceed that of gear 25 when driven by the motor, the direction of tooth pressure is reversed and the gear 25 is thrown by gear. 2% out of mesh, and is restored to normal position. Spring 44: yieldingly maintains the gearing in normal position as shown in Fig. 8.

As an aid to the spring 44, a spring 48 connecting yoke 26 withframe 21 may be used (see Figs. 1 and 3). Or if desired, the spring 48 may be used instead of spring 44.

While the form of vmechanism herein shownand describedconst-itutes a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow. i

What we claim is as follows:

1. In automatic gearing for engine starters, the combination with an engine spur gear, a motor having a shaft and a pinion carried by said shaft; of an idle spur gear meshing with the pinion; and means for supporting said idle gear from said shaft and guiding said idle gear into mesh with said engine gear while permitting said idle gear to center itself with respect to said pinion and said engine gear.

2. In automaticv gearing for engine starters, 'the combination with an engine spur gear, a motor having a shaft and a pinion carried by said shaft; of an idle spur gear meshing with the pinion; and a' bracket swung upon said motor shaft for supporting said idle gear, said bracket having provisionsfor permitting the idle gear to center itself with respeotto the pinion and the engine gear.

3. In automatic gearing for engine starters, the combination with an engine spur gear, a motor having a shaft and a pinion carried by said shaft; of an idle spur ear meshing with the pinion; a shaft carrying the idle gear; and a bracket swung upon said motor shaft and having provisions for supporting said idle gear shaft and permitting lateral movement of said idle gear shaft, whereby said idle gear may-center itself with respect to said pinion and said engine gear.

4. In automatic gearing 'for engine starters, the combination with an engine a motor having a shaft and a pinion carried by said shaft; of an idle spur ear meshing with the pinion; a shaft carrylng said idle gear; and a bracket swung upon said motor shaft having arms provided with elongated holes extending radially of said motor shaft, said idle gear shaft extending through said holes, whereby said idle gearv said pinion gearing for engine starters, the combination with an engine spur gear, a motor having a shaft and a pinion carried by said shaft; of an idle spur gear meshing with the pinion; and a bracket swung upon said motor shaft for supporting said idle gear, said bracket having provisions for permitting the idle gear to center itself with respect to the pinion and the enginegear; and means for yieldingly limiting the movement of said bracket.

7 In automatic gearing for engine starters, the combination with an engine spur gear, a motor having a shaft and a pinion carried by said shaft; of an idle spur gear meshing with the-pinion; a shaft carrying the idle gear; and a bracket swung upon said motor shaft and having provisions for supporting said idle. gear shaft and permitting lateral movement of said'idle gear shaft, whereby said idle gear may center itself with respect to said pinion and said engine gear; and a buffer spring arranged to be engaged bysaid bracket yieldingly to limit the movement thereof.

8. In an automatic gearing for engine starters, the combination with an engine gear, a motor having a shaft and a pinion carried by said shaft; of an idle gear meshing with the pinion; an end frame for said motor carrying a lug; a bracket for supporting the idle gear on said shaft and for guiding'the idle gear into mesh with the engine gear; a return spring supported by said lug for maintaining the idle gear out of mesh with the engine gear; a sleeve 7 slidably mounted on said lug and surrounding the return spring; and a buffer spring mounted on said sleeve and adapted to be engaged MAX L. HILLMER. LESLIE O. PARKER.

Witness:

WM. O. NELSON. 

